Index regulator set



Jan. 3, 1956 H. KOCHER INDEX REGULATOR SET 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 2, 1953 (WE/woe.-

HAM? KOCHiR A r Tom/5W Jan. 3, 1956 H. KOCHER 2,729,057

INDEX REGULATOR SET Filed Jan. 2, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mum roq.

rm/vs ROG/75R er fl INDEX REGULATOR ;SET.

Hans Kocher, Cortebert, Bern, Switzerland, assignor to Cortebert Watch Co., Cortebert,: Switzerland, acorporation of Switzerland Application January 2, 1953, Serial No. 329,3.72 9-Claims. (Cl; 58l13) This. invention relates to improved index=assembliesfor timepiece regulators.

This applicationis a continuation-.ineparttof. my co.- peuding application Ser. No. 125,608, filed'November. 4, 1949 now patent 2,637,970.

In most watchesor clocks the regulator system.comprises a balance the oscillations of which are obtained by a fiat spiral spring, the outer end ofwhichisfixed'to a stud attached to a cock. The outerturn ofthe. spiral spring is guided between two pins. fixed/to a-regulatorby means of which the positions ofv these pinsaround the .axis of the balance can be adjusted, in order to modify; the speed at which the watch or clock-operates. The, length of the spiral spring lying betweenthe. stud. andthe pins of the regulator shouldtheoretically be. without any. in. fluence on theoscillations of the balance. Inpractice, this is, however, not quite true. The pinslockthe spiral spring but seldom perfectly. Theremustbe. aclearance affording adjustment. The inconveniencesresulting from this clearance between the pinsarewellknown to those skilled in the art. It has already'been triedto. do'away with these disadvantages and-for. this purpose,- different propositions have been made (see: for instance.-the.--S.wiss Patents 251,174 and 251,695.). Howevenptheseasolutions are by no meansperfect. They.intendtoavoid theepins of. the regulatorythis, however, is. not .a.perfeet-. solution of the problern,,whichcanrbe solved. only by replacing these pins. and the keys now used .by;somethi-ng .more rigid, guaranteeing a precise fixing .ofthe spiral. spring,,,while allowing. its working length to be. altered for. regulating the. running speed of themvatches...

It isan object of thissinventionto providea-meehanism which overcomes the difficulties referred toiabovee.

According to my invention thezpinsare-replaced by a clamp normallytightening the -last .turn of.-the spiral;spring and being releasedwhenthe regulator. isoperatedifor adjustingthe workingleng-th .of the. spirahspring.

Other objects; andfeatures. will be apparenttass-the: fole lowing; description proceeds,.. reference: being; had; to: the accompanying drawings illustrating by way of example different: embodiments of;my.invention,,.and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a.-plan view of alregulator according to the invention,

Fig. 2 isa seetionalong'the"line II"II"of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a modification,

Fig. 4 is a section along the line IV-IV of Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a second modification of a device according to the invention,

Figs. 6 and 7 are plan views of a third and fourth em bodiment, respectively.

A timepiece regulator set comprises an assembly of parts for adjusting the position of the fixed point of the outer turn of the spiral spring, for determining the work ing length of this spring. The set comprises a regulator member and parts cooperating with it for holding the member in place and affording its adjustment around the axis of the balance, for locking the outer turn of the spiral spring at dilierent places.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, a pin.15,. forming the inner jawof a clamp is fixed to a lug-.14" of a; ring 10", thelatter fitting the index disk, not shown, .at a pressure sutficient to allow a first movement of the regulator without taking the ring 10 along. The outer jaw 16 carries a pin 26 by means of which the former is held insemicylindrical openings provided on either side of a slot.28 of the, regulator 5". The elasticity of the regulator portions adjacent to the slot holds the jaw 16" in: place and the clamp tightened. The regulator arms embracing thering member 10" have end portions straddling the lug 14" and being provided with projections 27 symmetrically arranged at either side of the lug 14", so that a first adjustment of 'the regulator 5" by operating its tail 6" provides for a separation of the walls of the slot 28 and a sutiicient releaseof the outer jaw 16" to allow displacement of the spiral spring 20between the two jaws. On further displacement of the regulator, its tension is increasedand thering 10 therefore taken along and the tightening point of the clamp on the spiral spring 20 adjusted. As soon as the regulator 5" is released, its elasticity causes closing of the slot 28,. so that the pin 26 is again fixed and the outer jaw 16" pressed against the spiral spring 20.

Inthe embodiment shown in Figs. 3 and 4,v the. regulator 521 is also split at 28"on the end opposite to the tail .6'-'. The outer jaw 16a is mounted on a spring24' having two legs astride a ring 10a which is fitted on the index disk as in the preceding embodiment. A lug 14av of. the ring 10a carries a pin 15' forming the inner jawof the clamp. An abutment 29 is fixed to the spring 2.4 in alignment. with the regulator lever 5a. The abutment has a verticalflat surface abutting against the corresponding end faces 30 ofthe regulator 5a due to the action of spring 24'. The oblique lateral'surfaces 3210f the regulator 5a engagethe inclined walls of. the lug 14a so that, on operating the regulator 5a, the end faces 30' press against the stop. 29, urge the spring 24 together withth'e jaw 16!: towardsthe left and loosen the clamp. for releasing the spiral spring. Upon continuation of the adjustment of the regulator, the ring 10a is turned and the tightening point of the spiral springbetween the clamp jaws is adjustedin a similar manner-as in the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and21 The index regulator set shown in Fig. S'comprises a regulator 3.3'whose tail'34'is split. The regulator thus forms a spring with two branches. elastically bearing against the ring 10. The ring comprises a lug 14" carry? ing a pin'or inner jaw 15. The lateral surfaces of the lug 1'4" cooperate with projections 35provided onthe inner wall of a. hollow extension of the regulator 33'; The outer jaw 16. is fixedto the regulator. Upon displacement of the. regulator,.by pressing in the direction indi cated by arrows y or z, one orthe. other of the projections 35 slides on the lug,12'and opens the clamp and releases the spiralspring. On further movement of the regulator, the'tension of the regulator is increasedand. the ring 10' is also-rotatedandithereby the. tightening point, of, the outer. turn .of' the .spiral'spring adjusted.

In the emb'odiment'of Fig. 6, the ring member 10a has a lug 44 to which the pin or inner jaw 15 is fixed. The regulator 43 has a substantially annular portion extending partly around the ring member and having a resilient part 45 carrying the outer jaw 16b and tending to press the latter against the pin 15. The resilient portion 45 has protuberances 46 and 47, the jaw 16b being connected between the protuberances and protuberance 46 forming the end of the resilient means 45. The protuberances cooperate with the lateral surfaces of the lug 44 for the same purpose as has been described with reference to other embodiments of the invention. Turning the tail 6a in one or the other direction results at first in a sliding of one of the protuberances 46 and 47 along the opposed surface of the lug 44, so that the extension 45 is stressed and the clamp opened. Thereupon, the regulator takes the ring 10a along in order to adjust the position of the pin 15- 'lug 48 on the ring 1017. Lug 48 has a surface portion 48 which is connected by means of a concave surface with a surface portion of an outwardly projecting nose 49 on the ring member, the latter surface portion extending at an angle with respect to the surface portion of the lug, the apex of the angle pointing toward the stationary part 2. The resilient part 45 of the regulator has an inwardly projecting protuberance 5t having an outer surface substantially conforming with the surface portion of the ring member consisting of surface 48, the aforesaid surface portion of the nose 49, and the concave connecting surface. If the regulator is rotated, the aforesaid surfaces of the ring member and of the regulator cooperate, at first, to open the clamp by stressing the branch 45. On further movement of the tail 6c, the ring ltlb is rotated and the tightening point of the spiral spring is displaced.

While I have shown some embodiments of my invention, I do not wish to unnecessarily limit the scope of my invention, but reserve the right to make such modifications and alterations of the different parts as may come within the purview of the accompanying claims.

What I claim is:

1. A regulator for adjusting the hair spring of the balance of timepieces, comprising a ring member, a regulator lever member rotatable on said ring member, said lever member having a portion which is elastically deformable in a direction transverse to the axis of rotation of said lever member, clamp means for gripping the hair spring, said clamp means including a first jaw member operatively connected with said elastically deformable portion and a second jaw member supported by said ring member, said lever member and said ring member having each a surface portion, said surface portions slidably engaging each other and causing deformation of said elastically deformable portion and separation of said jaw members for releasing the hair spring upon rotation of said lever member on said ring member, and stationary means frictionally engaging said ring member and preventing rotation of said ring member while said deformable portion is deformed and affording rotation of said ring member upon continued rotation of said lever member for displacing the jaw member supported by said ring member along said hair spring, the original undeforrned configuration of the resilient portion of said lever member being restored upon discontinuance of the rotation of said lever member on said ring member for regripping the hair spring.

2. A regulator as defined in claim 1, said ring member including a radially outwardly extending lug portion, said second jaw member being connected with said lug portion and the latter having surface portions diverging at an angle whose median extends through the center of said ring member, the elastically deformable portion of said lever member extending around said lug portion and having-internal protuberances forming the surface portion of said lever member and individually abutting against the surface portions of said lug portion.

3. A regulator as defined in claim 1, said ring member including an outwardly extending lug portion, said second jaw member being connected with said lug portion and the latter having two surface portions forming an angle opening toward said ring member, the elastically deformable portion of said lever member extending partly around and embracing said ring member and including protuberances forming the surface portion of said lever member and individually abutting against the surface portions of said lug portion.

4. A regulator according to claim 3, one of said protuberances extending inwardly of said elastically deformable portion and the other protuberance forming the end of said resilient means.

5. 'A regulator as defined in claim 1, said ring member having an outwardly protruding lug portion supporting said second jaw member and having a surface section forming part of said surface portion of said ring member, said ring member having a second surface section extending at an angle with respect to the surface section of said lug portion and forming another part of the surface portion of said ring member, the apex of said angle pointing toward said stationary means, the elastically deformable portion of said lever member having an inwardly projecting protuberance having a surface portion substantially conforming with the surface portion of said ring member and forming said surface portion of said lever member.

6. A regulator as defined in claim 1, said ring member having a substantially radially outwardly projecting lug portion supporting said second jaw member and including the surface portion of said ring member, said lever member having two arms forming said elastically deformable portion and embracing said ring member and having end portions including the surface portion of said lever member and straddling said lug portion.

7. A regulator according to claim 6, said first jaw member being clamped between said end portions.

8. A regulator according to claim 6, comprising a resilient means having two prongs positioned at an angle and straddling said ring member and having inner surfaces slidably engaging and being resiliently pressed against said ring member, an abutment connected with the junction of said prongs and supporting said first jaw member, said abutment being pulled by the action of said prongs toward the center of said ring member and being pressed against said end portions of said arms of said lever member.

9. A regulator as defined in claim 1, said ring member having an outwardly projecting lug portion supporting said second jaw member and forming the surface portion of said ring member, said lever member surrounding said lug portion and said ring member and being radially split substantially diametrically oppositely of said lug portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,637,970 Kocher May 12, 1953 

